WE MUST HAVE COURREGES!

BY: Andy Shoulders

Courrèges may not be a brand you’re familiar with, and that’s exactly what Creative Director Nicolas Di Felice is out to change.

For his debut collection for the Parisian house, Felice paid homage to the brand’s history while simultaneously depicting an optimism for the future (which we could all use right about now). Titled “I Can Feel Your Heartbeat,” the show breathed much-needed life into a new kind of look, while still keeping the silhouettes classic. References to the notorious designs from late house founder André Courrèges could be seen throughout the Fall/Winter 2021 show, namely the signature pieces from the 1960s and 1970s.

The brand’s stylistic beginnings in particular were front and center here, commonly known as Courrèges’ “workshop era.” The emblematic check pattern from 1963 and 1969’s cut-out pieces were clearly referenced in the show, as was the brand’s popularization of A-line dresses, geometric construction, and vinyl (more eco-friendly this time around, with a bio-based polyurethane and certified organic cotton base). There was also a clever youthful sensibility woven throughout, and even a wink towards club culture. Rave staples like trucker and bomber jackets, 5-pocket trousers, and simple T-shirts wove seamlessly into the house’s heritage pieces, creating a refreshing array of ensembles that merged past with future.

This past/present theme was also translated into the scenery as well as the fashion. The show was held at La Station – Gare des Mines in Aubervilliers – the heart of Paris’ party and dance culture. The models walked along the edges of a huge white cube-like structure that harkened back to the Belgian clubs near Felice’s upbringing. By the end of the show, people crowded around the cube structure, drawn by the techno music (composed by Sene) and eager to join the party. On one hand, the show and ensuing party painted a rather sad picture of what could have been, yet at the same time captured the hope of what may be still to come.

“’I Can Feel Your Heartbeat’ is a collection that celebrates encounters in the broad sense – between eras, worlds and people – in a way as radical as romantic,” Courrèges said in a press release.

Here’s hoping we have a Courrèges-esque party to look forward to in the future.